


The Prewett Curse

by Elena78



Series: Twin Flames [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: #LoveFest2020, #TeamAphrodite, #istolemyownplotfromanotheroneofmystories, #theessenceofveela, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:42:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22840429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elena78/pseuds/Elena78
Summary: Hermioine tries to settle things with Neville when an invitation from an unexpected source turns things upside down.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Neville Longbottom
Series: Twin Flames [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630585
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12
Collections: Love Fest 2020





	The Prewett Curse

**Author's Note:**

  * For [noxsoulmate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/noxsoulmate/gifts).



> Story plot around Hildegard comes from The Essence of Veela, another story of mine. You do not need to read that story to understand this one.
> 
> Written for Noxsoulmate during #LoveFest2020 #TeamAphrodite
> 
> This is the 4th part of the Twin Flames Series. Please read 1 - 3 before starting this.

Hermione wasn’t sure why she apparated here, all she knew is that she was in pain. She hadn’t felt this way since Ron left her and Harry while they were hunting Horcruxes.

Neville crashed to the ground and stumbled to his feet, wand stretched out. “Who’s there?”

Hermione turned on the lights and Neville lowered his wand and gathered her into his arms. “What the hell happened?”

Hermione simply cried.

She woke the next morning, her head on Neville's chest, his arm held her close. “What time is it?”

“It’s I don’t care o’clock. I call us in sick today,” Neville said, turning into Hermione and pulling her close. “Shhh, just sleep.”

“Neville, I have legislation being heard today, I can’t miss work!” Hermione pushed Neville away and tried to unravel herself from his bedsheets.

“You’re legislation passed 54 votes to 7,” He pointed toward a piece of parchment on the bedside table.

“What?” Hermione grabbed the piece of paper and read it. “Yes!” she smiled and for a moment, last night was no longer a concern.

“Nev, do you know what this means?”

“No, and Nev? Try Neville,” he said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. “It means that House Elves now have working rights and minimum wages.” Hermione was so excited, she rolled on top of Neville, straddling him and claimed his lips.

“Wait, ‘ermione,” Neville said as he gently pushed Hermione back. “I don’t think we should,”

“Why not?” She asked and Neville frowned.

“Because last night you looked like you had your heart ripped out and served to you on a plate. I’m not going to add to that hurt.”

Hermione sighed and rolled back to her side of the bed. The remainder of the night's events took Hermione right back to bitter disappointment and unbearable pain. Tears pooled in her eyes and she went to wipe them away. Hermione only just realised she was naked.

“Where are my clothes?”

“I sent them for cleaning, they should be by the front door,” Neville said as he went over to check. He came back with a bag with her freshly clean clothes and handed them to her. “I’ll make coffee.”

Hermione changed and met Neville in his small kitchen. He was still in his trunks and Hermione took a moment appreciate him. Neville was still skinny but toned. As her eyes lowered, she couldn’t help but check out his package and his behind.

“Enjoying the view?” Nevile asked, unphased by Hermione’s wandering eyes.

“Yes,” Hermione smiled as she took her coffee and sipped on the bitter liquid. “I really like you, Neville,”

“But…” He said, knowing it was coming.

“The guy I was…am seeing,” Hermione wasn’t sure how to explain Gideon to Neville. “I’m in love with him,”

“Oh,” Neville said and sipped his coffee. “So if you’re in love with him, what are you doing here, with me?”

Hermione shrugged. “You’re a comfort, reliable, and I know you care.” She sighed. How could she explain a dead lover?

“But not the one you want to spend your life with?”

“I didn’t think you thought of me that way,” Hermione said and felt a pang in her heart. She didn’t want to hurt anyone, especially not Neville.

“I didn’t. Not until the other day,” Neville said before downing the rest of his coffee. “I like us, I like how comfortable we are with each other. We’re compatible in many ways.”

If Hermione was honest with herself, she understood what he was saying. They had a connection, it was natural, no forced conversations or awkward moments. They easily slipped into a relationship without realising what it was.

“I don’t know who this other guy is, Hermione, but I want you to now, I’m here,” Neville said as he leaned over the breakfast bar and kissed Hermione.

It fit, Hermione thought as she relaxed and Neville deepened their kiss. They felt good together like she belonged with him. A tapping sound broke them apart, there was an unfamiliar owl at Neville’s window. He crossed the kitchen and opened the window. The brown bird perched on the breakfast bar and Hermione unwound the letter attached to its leg.

“It’s for me,” Hermione said as she unscrolled the parchment. “But who’d know I was here?”

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_You are invited to attend a High Tea with myself and Mrs Molly Weasly. Please send your reply with the owl. 2 pm this_ _afternoon at Malfoy Manor._

_Kind regards,_

_N. Malfoy_

“High tea, huh?” Neville said as he passed Hermione a quill.

Hermione scribbled her reply, attached it to the owl. Neville gave the bird a few treats and it flew out the window.

“Shit,” Hermione cursed as she looked at the time. “I have to go home and shower and change.” She looked at Neville. “I love you, I just don’t know if it’s the right love,” she said and kissed him.

Neville wasn’t ready to give up that easy. He pulled her close to him, their tongues dancing together in a sensual battle. Hermione couldn't deny that she had feelings for Neville, but she was in love with Gideon. She had to sort this out first and she had a feeling that’s what Narcissa Malfoy’s note was about.

Hermione pulled out of the kiss first just as Neville pulled at her hips, his desire for her quite evident. “Come back here tonight, we’ll have dinner.”

Hermione sighed, but she wasn’t resisting. “Just dinner,” Hermione said as he backed away from him and headed for the Floo.

“I thought we’d skip it and go for dessert?”

Hermione laughed, but she dropped the powder and stepped into the flames as she said her address.

An hour later, Hermione stood at the gates of Malfoy Manor, gathering the courage to walk back through its doors. She had not been back since Bellatrix had tortured her. She had put this place behind her, but her curiosity about why Narcissa Malfoy was involved piqued and so here she stood. Once she decided that she was going in, the gates swung open as if they knew she wanted to enter.

The Manor appeared brighter than the last time she was here, the darkness of the stone walls was gone.

“I always hated the dark, stuffy feel of the Manor. After the war, I redecorated.” Narcissa Malfoy stood beside her, also examining the walls. “I’m glad you could join us. Please, follow me,”

Hermione followed Narcissa down a hall and into a sitting room. Molly was already there drinking a cup of tea.

“So glad you could come,” Molly said, a lot more cheery than last night.

Hermione sat in a single armchair with Molly on her right and Narcissa on her left. “Tea?” Narcissa offered and Hermione smiled and nodded.

“I’m sure you are wondering why we are here,” Molly said as Hermione took her tea.

“I am quite surprised,” Hermione said.

“Yes,” Narcissa continued. “I dare say we owe Miss Granger an explanation,” Narcissa said rather warmly.

“You see, Narcissa and I were friends once,” Molly began. “The best of friends, really. I certainly didn’t come from wealth, but my pureblood status was enough to set me apart from the rest.”

Hermione coughed to hide her shock. Mrs Weasley was talking about purity of blood to a Muggle-born. “You were a blood purist?”

“Before Voldemort,” Narcissa offered in explanation. “Pureblood families were close. We are families with generations of witches and wizards, it wasn’t uncommon that we were once all friends.”

“It wasn’t like when Voldemort came to power. We didn’t…” Molly trailed off, looking sheepishly.

“OK,” Hermione said, putting down her tea. “What am I missing here?” Hermione looked from Molly to Narcissa and back again.

Molly slid something onto the coffee table in front of Hermione. It was the label from the jar that Hermione used in the spell. “What about this?” Hermione said, pointing to the label.

“It’s not about that, but who you got it from,” Narcissa said. “I thought Hildegard left for Germany years ago.”

“You know Hildegard?” Hermione asked.

“Well, we all kind of did,” Narcissa explained. “She was an eccentric old crone who used to help us with quick potions. Love potions, luck potions, things like that.”

“So what does any of this have to do with me?” Hermione was confused beyond belief.

“It’s not actually about you, but about Molly,” Narcissa said, taking another sip of her tea.

Hermione looked at her surrogate mother and noticed that Molly’s face was the colour of Gryffindor. “Molly?”

“It was our fourth year,” Molly began. “I had a crush on a boy, you see,”

Hermione knew she was in for a tale, so she picked up her cup and sipped on the warm liquid, enjoying the taste.

“But he liked Narcissa, so I, uh, went to see Hildegard about a potion,” Molly hid her face in her hands.

“Who was the boy?” Hermione said and sipped her tea again. It was like a mixture of English Breakfast…and something else.

“My husband, Lucius,” Narcissa said and Hermione spat her tea put and choked on what was left in her mouth.

“Oh, dear,” Narcissa said during the commotion ad with a wave of her wand, everything righted itself and Hermione’s tea was cleaned up. “Are you alright?”

Hermione nodded as she cleared her throat. “You liked Lucius Malfoy!?”

Molly’s face came out from behind her hands and she turned to face Hermione. “I’ll have you know, things were different back then. Lucius was a very charming young boy from a very reputable family. Any girl back then would have been lucky to have such a match.”

Hermione couldn’t hide her shock. Not in any universe would she have seen Molly with the likes of Lucius Malfoy.

“Because I was refusing Lucius’ advances, Molly thought this was her chance. But once she took the potion from Hildegard and approached Lucius the next day at school, I knew something was wrong.” Narcissa continued the story. “Molly was gaining a lot of attention from all the boys and girls in school. What Molly thought was a love potion to make Lucius attracted to her actually ended up being the Essence of Veela,”

Hermione remembered seeing that in Hildegard’s shop. “Going by the name, I assume it makes you a Veela?”

“Appear like Veela for the duration of the spell,” Narcissa corrected. “It was something extra she put into the love potion. It took seeing my mother to have the potion reversed,”

“It was then that we learned about the curse she placed on the Prewett’s,” Molly said. “Druella explained that Hildegard was rejected by my father and ever since then, she’d go out of her way to make any of the Prewett’s pay.”

“Gideon is a Prewett and Fred is your son,” Hermione said as she pieced it together. “This was some old witches way to make you pay?”

Molly nodded. “For me, Gideon, and my family.”

“The problem is,” Narcissa cut in. “The Life and Death spell is the only one that can bring back the dead. Somehow, Hildegard linked the spell to Molly and George, rendering the spell useless.”

“So we unlink it!” Hermione looked from Molly to Narcissa. “We have to do something! Gideon and Fred are stuck in limbo. Not in this world nor the afterlife. We can’t just leave them there.”

Narcissa took a deep breath in, as did Molly.

“What?” Hermione said and get got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. “What’s going on?”

“We are going to do something,” Narcissa said, looking at Molly who nodded. “With the next full moon, we’re sending Gideon and Fred back to the afterlife.”

“What!?” Hermione said standing up, almost knocking the coffee table over. “You can’t do that, there has to be a reason why they are here.”

“Hermione, Gideon died nearly 20 years ago and Fred a couple of years ago,” Molly said with sadness in her voice. “They’re not meant to be here.”

“I don’t accept this,” Hermione turned to leave, but Molly took her hand.

“Please, Hermione, let this go,” Molly said, tears falling down her tired face.

“I can’t,” Hermione replied. “I’m in love with him.”

Molly dropped her hand and looked at Narcissa. “You have thirty days till the next full moon,” Narcissa said. “You have until then to find another way. Otherwise, we send them back. Though,” Narcissa sighed. “Hildegard is powerful, she has lived for centuries. Hildegard knows magic beyond what even we know, so I am doubtful in your quest.”

Hermione shook her head. “Well, I’m Hermione fucking Granger, the brightest witch of my age. I figured both of you would know that by now.” Hermione went to turn and storm away but Draco Malfoy was standing behind her.

“Ah, hey Granger,” Draco said, waving at her. “I guess I’ll see you at the Leaky?” Draco tried to change the conversation away from whatever was going on. “Who’d have thought you and Longbottom would be an item,”

“Neville Longbottom?” Molly said. “Well, well. It appears you have more than one quest happening.”

Hermione ignored Molly, pushed past Draco and walked down the hall to leave.

Molly hurried after Hermione and rounded on her, forcing Hermione to stop. “Hildegard is on a warpath against my family. I cannot have any more harm come to them, do you understand?”

Hermione never answered Molly, instead, she walked around her and left.


End file.
